Gil Brandt's greatest NFL linebackers of all time

[ijustposthere]

Six Chicago Bears on this list. I'd have put Urlacher ahead of Singletary and George though.

http://www.nfl.com/photoessays/0ap3000000816217

 

[BringBackDitka54]

Considering there's 32 teams, each team should have 1 or 2 in the top 38. The fact that we have 6 in the top 38 is pretty damn impressive.

 

[Omeletpants]

Lawrence Taylor and Derrick Thomas were defensive ends, not a LB. If you rush the QB every play then you are a rusher, not someone that backs the line

 

[Porkchop]

Singletary at 16 is just wrong.

Seven time All-Pro. SEVEN! And he's the 16th best linebacker? Meanwhile Dave Robinson was All-Pro once and he's ahead of Samurai Mike?

In general, him, Seau and Lewis were ranked too low.

 

[ijustposthere]

Singletary at 16 is just wrong.

Seven time All-Pro. SEVEN! And he's the 16th best linebacker? Meanwhile Dave Robinson was All-Pro once and he's ahead of Samurai Mike?

In general, him, Seau and Lewis were ranked too low.

The list itself is kind of a joke. The players on it are generally correct, where they were ranked is pretty bad.

 

[Sammich]

WHAT THE FUCK! This is a HORRIBLE list! How is Ray Lewis number 12??.... WTF.... Ray Lewis is easily top 5.... possibly top 3. Jack Lambert is also much better than number 20.

 

[PAPABEAR77]

WHAT THE FUCK! This is a HORRIBLE list! How is Ray Lewis number 12??.... WTF.... Ray Lewis is easily top 5.... possibly top 3. Jack Lambert is also much better than number 20.

Ray Lewis is not easy top five however he is murderer. urlacher being not in the top ten is wrong singletary should be there also.


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[Omeletpants]

WHAT THE FUCK! This is a HORRIBLE list! How is Ray Lewis number 12??.... WTF.... Ray Lewis is easily top 5.... possibly top 3. Jack Lambert is also much better than number 20.

Lambert was surrounded by hall of fame players and that DL shielded him. At 20 he is right where he belongs

 

[Ditka19861]

It's hard to compare different eras of football. Athletes back in the day had to have full-time jobs to supplement their income. It would be scary to think of how good some of those older players could have been with modern technology, nutrition and the ability to hone their craft 40+ hours a week.

 

[Sammich]

I like this list better. Voted by fans. Over 91,000 votes so far. Seems more accurate.

Has top 5 as LT, Butkus, Lewis, Lambert, Singletary.

https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/top-25-greatest-linebackers-of-all-time

 

[Omeletpants]

Urlacher was better than Singletary

 

[Treehorn]

DT @ 2, LOL. I guess we know who he is a fan of.

 

[Sammich]

Urlacher was better than Singletary

Debatable. Singletary will almost always be given a nudge above Urlacher for anchoring Buddys 1985 defense.

 

[Kekua Zombie]

Vic has coached 7 of them at different stages of their careers. 46 Sam Mills, 45 Pat Swilling, and 18 Ricky Jackson with the Saints 13 Kevin Greene with the Panthers 22 Cornelius Bennett with the Colts 12 Ray Lewis with Ravens 29 Patrick Willis with the 49ers.

He knows greatness when he sees it. Which makes me pumped about Roquan. Kid is gonna be special.

 

[Bearsfan7954]

I found it interesting that all the hall of fame players are listed as enshrined in the hall of fame, including Ray Lewis but Urlacher is not listed as enshrined.

 

[Wild_x_Card]

DT @ 2, LOL. I guess we know who he is a fan of.

Why? Thomas was one of the most dominant players to ever play, period. In a redraft I'd take him over anybody on that list including LT because he was cleaner off the field.

If the author wants to lump OLB pass rushers in with traditional LBs, that's is prerogative. It's all subjective anyways.

 

[Omeletpants]

Debatable. Singletary will almost always be given a nudge above Urlacher for anchoring Buddys 1985 defense.

And Singletary played with much better talent which should take him down a notch

 

[Treehorn]

Why? Thomas was one of the most dominant players to ever play, period. In a redraft I'd take him over anybody on that list including LT because he was cleaner off the field.

If the author wants to lump OLB pass rushers in with traditional LBs, that's is prerogative. It's all subjective anyways.

Certainly this is true.

Great, great player but more one dimensional to me. Of the players on the list, I think there are several that had a bigger impact on the game than DT. Butkus, homerism aside, could do everything as a LB and is still the gold standard for comparing MLB play. DT top ten, sure. Number 2? I have a hard time believing he had more impact than Butkus, Lewis, or Ham.

 

[Omeletpants]

Here is my analysis of Singletary vs Urlacher:

-Singletary was the definition of rage. He was a downhill LB that exploded opponents. He controlled everything in front of him, but was not a good cover LB

-Urlacher was more well rounded. The Lovie 2 defense required that he drop back into coverage 20 yards then rush the qb the next play. He was quicker sideline to sideline and shed blockers with ease. He was required to be everywhere which is something few LBs in history were required to do. Urlacher does take a knock because of his drag down tackling style. People wanted him to explde ball carriers like Singletary but that was never going to happen

-Sidenote on LT and DT: contrary to how they are labelled they were not LBs. DT palyed some LB his first 2 years, but his last 9 years he dropped into coverage less than Richard Dent. The definition of LB is to "back the defensive line". You can't back the defensive line if you are the defensive line. Compare a real LB like Butkus vs LT. In 11 seasons LT had 9 ints. Butkus had 35 ints in 9 seasons. The reason LT didnt have more reasonable LB int totals is because he was never in coverage

It's always been more glamorous and more well paid to be a LB and not a defensive lineman. That why the definition was forced on LT and DT

 

[Sammich]

Here is my analysis of Singletary vs Urlacher:

-Singletary was the definition of rage. He was a downhill LB that exploded opponents. He controlled everything in front of him, but was not a good cover LB

-Urlacher was more well rounded. The Lovie 2 defense required that he drop back into coverage 20 yards then rush the qb the next play. He was quicker sideline to sideline and shed blockers with ease. He was required to be everywhere which is something few LBs in history were required to do. Urlacher does take a knock because of his drag down tackling style. People wanted him to explde ball carriers like Singletary but that was never going to happen

-Sidenote on LT and DT: contrary to how they are labelled they were not LBs. DT palyed some LB his first 2 years, but his last 9 years he dropped into coverage less than Richard Dent. The definition of LB is to "back the defensive line". You can't back the defensive line if you are the defensive line. Compare a real LB like Butkus vs LT. In 11 seasons LT had 9 ints. Butkus had 35 ints in 9 seasons. The reason LT didnt have more reasonable LB int totals is because he was never in coverage

It's always been more glamorous and more well paid to be a LB and not a defensive lineman. That why the definition was forced on LT and DT

Like a previous poster stated, its all subjective anyway. You can look at 1000 lists and you will get 1000 different rankings. I prefer this list below as it has over 90,000 fans voting, and is not based on one persons opinion.

https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/top-25-greatest-linebackers-of-all-time